Ghost Flowers
by OublietteVII
Summary: Oneshot. In death, she thought she was alone. But a simple gesture of nature and mind would change all that, creating a bond that cannot be explained...yet will never be forgotten. Mild hints of Shojo-Ai, if you squint, and spoilers.


**Ghost Flowers**

"...Haah..." 'Cough' 'Cough'

The sky was such a brilliant blue above her head. The air was crisp and clean, no longer clogged by the oppressive rains that had plagued this land for who knew how long. It was as if the country had been crying; an Earth-based response to the bloodshed and destruction that had continued on, generation after generation.

A beautiful rainbow, the ultimate sign of the passing of a rainstorm, had now bloomed across the sky. Her hazel eyes watered, as if the sight were far too pretty for someone like her. Her body ached, hair stuck to her forehead with sticky sweat, as the taste of blood continued to linger on her lips and tongue. She coughed once more, hands resting upon her abdomen as the lifeforce continued pouring out into the grass and dirt below.

Her name was Konan. She was a ninja of Amegakure, as well as a former member of Akatsuki. And she was dying.

The thoughts in her mind were barely coherent, as she struggled to keep her gaze focused on the never ending sky above her tired and pounding head. That bastard, Madara...what had he done to her? He'd invaded her mind; violated her memories, before taking the information that he'd wanted, and throwing her aside, like a rag doll. To simply die alone, now that his jutsu's spell had been broken.

But she hadn't died. Not that easily. There was nothing she could do to save herself, but at least...at least she still hadn't given in completely to his will. She would die after taking that last gulp of fresh air; the air that had eluded her and her comrades in life.

_Nagato, Yahiko...I'm sorry...I did my best, but..._At long last, the mighty Paper Angel; the messenger of God himself, had fallen in battle. She had fallen at the hands of a man who wasn't so much flawed as he was a patchwork quilt of hatred and failure. A shell of a man, whose only purpose was to see the world as he saw fit; to take away any and all freedom of thought, like a petulant child demanding their own way. That's right...he was no better than a spoiled brat.

As her vision blurred, another ragged gasp escaping her bloodied lips, Konan saw her life; her past, present and hopes for the future, dancing before her eyes. The memories seemed to float in the breeze, from her humble beginnings amongst a war torn village, to finding her way to Yahiko and then Nagato, complete with dog. The stealing on a day-to-day basis, just to survive. The day that they'd lost their beloved pet to roving enemy forces. The day that they'd met their soon to be teacher, Jiraiya...

Konan could feel it-death was fast approaching. But damn it, she wasn't ready yet! She had so much-so much to feel, to see; there was so much she had never gotten to experience. She'd never gotten a chance to truly fall in love...only gotten glimpses and tastes. In war, emotions other than rage and cool calculation could and would get you killed.

She saw it: the days of her youth, training with Jiraiya-sensei, living in that little house in the field. Learning so much, so very much indeed...they'd eventually parted ways and grown up, thinking that the man, while being a skilled ninja of his own accord, had been a sentimental fool who didn't understand the way the world worked. But in the end...it was they who didn't understand. They who had still been the children, unable to grasp the magnificence of a concept so confusing and elusive as hope.

His teachings had come back to haunt them, in the face of that boy called Uzumaki Naruto. The boy who had single-handedly stood up to Pein's army, and then gone to confront Nagato himself. This boy had admitted to his hatred, admitted to hating the man who shared the same teacher as he, and had still killed him...and yet, had let him live. His belief in hope for the future was so strong, that he was willing to put aside that overwhelming desire for revenge, that so many had fallen prey to. The boy was no stranger to this idea.

It was this desire, this determination that had swayed Nagato from his plans; had convinced him to use the last of his strength to bring back those who had been killed in his raid on Konoha, searching for the Kyuubi. And it was this hope that still burned in Konan herself; that had convinced her to lay her life on the line to protect the secrets of her beloved fallen comrades. That little seed that Naruto had planted, had been watered by the teachings of the past. The teachings that they'd thought they'd forgotten.

That sky was so utterly freeing to stare into. If there was no such thing as hope...then why would she be able to enjoy this sight? Why would this be her last memory on Earth? If there was no hope...she'd have been dead as soon as she hit the dirt. Madara's jutsu hadn't fully taken her. She was still alive, still able to enjoy these last moments before giving into the darkness of death completely.

They'd gotten their wish, in death; Madara may have had the Rin'negan, but they still had Naruto. If anyone could stop him, it was that boy. As Konan's vision became fuzzy once more however, a strange object flittered into her line of sight. From afar, it resembled a tiny umbrella; up close, she realized it was...a flower?

Was she hallucinating? Was it a side-effect of Madara's attack? She didn't know. Whatever it was, it was small, and pink. As it drew closer, she managed to identify it with what was left of her reasoning. It was a cherry blossom. But they didn't have those around here...and didn't they bloom only in the spring? A tiny smile tugged at the corners of her bloody lips.

_Sakura...I never knew a Sakura, in all my life...for how c-common the name is, I just never...knew one...I bet if I had, though...they'd have been a sight to see, indeed...wish I had known one, i-if only for this reason...such a delicate flower, and yet...it stands tall..._

How unusual. These were not thoughts that would've graced her mind in life. Was death truly the unlocking of any and all barriers? Konan had never imagined herself capable of such curious thoughts before. But she supposed anything was possible. The concept of hope, for example. What a bizarre last request: to wish to meet another who bore that particular moniker.

Death was setting in, and fast. The last few breaths from her lungs were painful and slow, as Konan desperately turned her eyes to the sky...but that little pink blossom was in her way. She was too weak to move it aside. _Guess you'll...be seeing me in my end, little flower..._she really wished she could have held it; to experience the sensation of touch one last time, in her hands...a simple little flower called a cherry blossom. Would that really have been so hard?

"Ngh-!" So, she forced herself. Lifting her bloodied hand, Konan managed to bring the blossom from her face to her palm, before resting both upon her bosom. She let out a slow, shaky breath, satisfied that she'd been allowed at least one other of her final requests. Laying under the sun and endless blue canopy of sky, a rainbow overhead as she held that precious bit of life in her hand...what more could she have asked for?

**…...**

'FWOOO...'

'TMP' 'TMP' "Man...what a long meeting..."

'CREEEAK...' "Eh? This is...Naruto's house. His door's open...but didn't he leave?"

Far away, in the village of Konoha, among the kingdom of Konohagakure, sixteen year old Haruno Sakura stood at the partially opened entryway of her teammate, one Uzumaki Naruto. She was currently debating whether or not to go inside. Had he simply forgotten to lock his door before rushing off on his latest adventure for the past few days-or was there another, more sinister reason for its unlatching?

Ever since Pein's attack on Konoha, the village had been working hard to rebuild, among many other things. The new generation, their generation, had begun stepping up, to handle more and more of the tasks that were usually left to the adults. This was as sure a sign as any that they were growing up. They'd also started having their own meetings, gathering together to try and figure out where to go from here.

And, as luck would have it, Sakura would be passing his house after one of these meetings, to find his door ajar in the breeze. The meetings had been going well, but without Naruto, there was a certain intensity missing. After all, he'd been the one to take out Pein. Not an easy feat on his part. Not after how many had fallen before that point. Thankfully, they'd come back, but still...the grief, no matter if temporary, had been all too real.

Being his teammate, Sakura wasn't about to let his house get trashed. Unless he really had left it open all this time. For all his growth and achievements, he still had those little habits, that would always help him to remain as the lovable but slightly trying clown in her heart. Deciding that an open door was an invitation to step inside, if only to make sure everything was alright, Sakura took a chance, walking into the Uzumaki household.

"Huh...it's not nearly as messy as I would've expected..." Aside from a few scattered clothes, scrolls and ramen bowls, the place was clean, all dishes having been washed and the floor being visible and tidy. Obviously, the boy knew how to keep house.

"Ah?" That was when the pinkette's green eyes landed on a vase of flowers in the center of his dining table. It was a bouquet of white roses, and they were simply gorgeous. Who said she wasn't allowed to be distracted, if only for a moment? Naruto wasn't around, and she was being the helpful friend here; she'd just take a quick look, and be on her way.

Letting out a soft gasp of delight, the girl hurried over to examine the bunch. Ino and her family must've given them to him, as a reward for saving the village once their shop had been back in order. Where had they gotten them from on such short notice, though...?

And that was when she realized: they were made of paper. Her enthusiasm fell slightly, only to be jarred back by the thought that, although fake, they were beautiful enough to pass for the real deal. Her hand reached out, to lightly graze the edges of one of the blossoms. A small smile played upon her lips.

_Well, whoever crafted these...they have an amazing talent here. Wish I could meet them..._

**…...**

"D-damn it..."

Konan could sense it: her soul was slipping away. She couldn't feel her lower body. Nor could she feel her arms or hands, much less the blossom in them. Her vision was cracking, and she had to shut her eyes as the sky above her swirled with the rainbow to make for a portrait of melting paints. She couldn't even feel the pain in her abdomen, or the pain of her shattered mind.

So, letting out that final breath, Konan allowed herself to be swallowed by absolution.

**…...**

'POFF' "Ah!"

Sakura stumbled back, eyes wide in shock. The bouquet of flowers had suddenly exploded into a pile of paper pieces. Thankfully, it hadn't taken the vase with it, but still...such fragile beauty, being destroyed right before her very eyes. What had caused this? How was this even possible?

'WHMP' The pinkette had fallen to the floor on her knees, eyes beginning to water as she was suddenly hit by an inexplicable sadness. It was so heavy, so heart-wrenching...as if someone had truly died. The flowers had died because their connection had been cut off. Her hand clutched at her chest, feeling the erratic beat of her heart. Her breathing was shaky, as tear after tear rolled down her cheek.

The poor girl didn't even know or understand the connection completely, but she was still feeling it, one-hundred-percent. And it hurt. It hurt so much.

"S-Sakura-chan! Are you okay?"

By this point, the opened door and mini explosion had caught the attention of one other outside, Hyuuga Hinata. At first, her thoughts too had been upon burglary. But as soon as she saw the girl crumpled upon the floor, sobbing in silence, she rushed over, to hold her tightly in her arms. "What happened? Why are you crying?"

With a shaky hand and an extended finger, Sakura pointed at the empty vase. All she could croak out was "T-the flowers...they died...they're dead..."

"Flowers...?" Well, no robbers here. Hinata looked towards the table, pale violet eyes widening in surprise. She'd never known Naruto to be much of a plant lover. She kept learning something new about him every day.

But that wasn't the main concern here. What mattered was getting Sakura out of there, and locking the place up tight. They'd explain what happened to Naruto when he got back, if he asked. A sense of pervasive misery lingered in the air as Hinata said nothing, simply holding Sakura in her arms as she tried to decipher a meaning to all this.

Far beyond their borders, a blossom had withered...

**…...**

'CHIRP' 'CHIRP' 'CHIR-'

'SHAAA...'

The rains had returned to Amegakure, sky darkening once more over the still plains. Now the tears of the Earth had resumed, but Konan's body no longer lay there among nature. It had disappeared to the winds, a single paper petal on the cool breeze before the rainclouds had rolled in.

The flower in her hand was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps it had never existed at all? It had merely slipped from her cold palm as she'd faded away. Possibly, it had been washed out with the oncoming storm.

And so, though she may have been alone physically in death, one other shed their own tears for her departure. A girl named Sakura, who Konan had never met, but had wanted to, unknowingly. Somehow, she'd gotten her wish.

**A/N:...yeah...please don't hate me?**

**Just a weird little oneshot that I came up with after reading Konan's death in 'Naruto', as well as talking w/a good friend on dA. [They gave me the idea to begin with.] First time I ever cried over a character. Does that make me a baby? :|**

**Well, no matter. I took that sadness and managed to channel it not only into this story, but three pieces of artwork, two of which relate to said fanfic. [The third's a tribute.] So those tears were worth something, after all.**

**I tried my best to write a convincing enough 'what if' scenario. That, and I like the pairing of KonaSaku, and tried to present it in a convincing way, since they never actually met in the series. Any and all feedback is appreciated. Take care, everyone. **

**Cover Art 1: **http : / / alchemistkira6 . deviantart . com /#/ d3a6dcj** [remove spaces]**

**Cover Art 2: **http : / / alchemistkira6 . deviantart . com /#/ d3ajhxr **[ditto]**

******More links coming soon.**  


**=^.^=**


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